Illumination means for handbags and the like



Jan. 16, 1940. G. R. Fuss 2,187,308

ILLUMINATION MEANS FOR HANDBGS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 5l, 1937 45 IN VEN TOR.-

57 Greci?? .SQ

46mm .T

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IILUMINATION MEANS FOB HANDBAG! AND m im George ll.. Plas, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application December 3l, 1987, Buhl No. 182,881

lclahn.

The invention relates to portable electric lighting devices operated by dry cell batteries. although it may also be applied otherwise. It is particularly designed for use as a permanent part in ladies' handbags, travelling bags, physicians and surgeons medicine and tool cases, and others, to illuminate the interior of such receptacles. and spaces within enclosures, and in addition to ai'- ford utility as a search light for illuminating areas exteriorly of a portable receptacle upon which it is installed.

It is an important object to vpresent a switch construction and, light mounting specially adapted to use in the latch housing of a handbag having the familiar pivoted bails forming opposite sides of the opening thereof. It is an important aim also to Present a switch construction for such use which will automatically open the circuit to the lamp illuminating the interior of the bag or other receptacle when the latter is closed.

A further object is to give a novel construction of switch useful in such devices.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as will appear from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a top view of an open handbag in which my invention is incorporated;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the battery, lamp, and switch housing.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2, looking upward, the switch closed.

Figure 4 is a similar view with parts removed, the switch open.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the search light and switch therefor.

There is illustrated a handbag I which may be of any usual material and in any desired shape as to the bag portion proper. The bag has an opening therein one side of which is secured in the usual manner to one bail'section il which may be of the usual form for such an opening, with'the exception that in each arm i2 immediately adjacent the bight or top bar I3 there are formed semi-circular notches i4 adapted to embrace a battery and lamp case I1 forming part of the opposite bail i which is pivoted to the one H. The latter consists of two arms it, complementary to the arms I 2, but shorter and having their outer ends soldered or welded to the side of a tubular battery and lamp case Il, which may be either cylindrical or polygonal in cross sec- (Cl. 24U-0.45)

tion. Ontheupper side ofthis case i1 abar Il maybe secured forming the top member of the bail, and to which the edge of the bag material maybe secured as usual. By this construction both ends of the casing I1 are exposed without the bag, for the uses to be indicated hereinafter.

A switch housing il is mounted on the upper side of the case I1 formed with a dat side 2l at the inner side, to which is opposed a fiat plate 2| iixed on the bight of the bail Il and having a release plate 22 projected outward therefrom at its middle, for apurpe to be dcribed.

One end of the case I1 is`closed by a manually removable screw cap 23 inwardly of which there is disposed a compression helical spring 24 conilned by the cap against the bottom of a battery cell 2l of usual form, the opposite end having its usual central electrode 2l engaged against an insulated plate or contact bar 21 projected into the case at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof. A distance further longitudinally on the oase, a lamp receptacle 2l is set in the wall of the case l1 so that a standard lamp 2i may be screwed thereinto with'its bulb :lust without the case. An insulated electrode 3l within the receptacle is formed by the headed end of a boli, which is extended upwardly across the case i1 and secured in a suitable insulating mounting in the side of the case I1 exposed just within one end of the housing i9.

In the top of the housing I9 there is mounted for transverse sliding movement a bar Il somewhat like a latch bar, its mounting also permitting a slight movement at the extremity next the side in a longitudinal direction with respect to the housing and case I1. This bar is projected at times through a slot 22 in the flat side 20, and is formed with a lateral bill 3l, bevelled at opposite sides as at 34 and adapted to pass through the slot also. A contractile spring 35 is anchored to one end of the housing Il and connected to the bar Il so as to pull the bill 33 toward the adjacent end of the slot I2, whereby the bevelled edges of the bill will bear slidingly against the end of the slot, holding the bar 3i at either limit of its movement yieldable however, to manual pressure. The bar 3| has a knob It thereon exposed suitably at the outer and top side of the housing I9 for manipulation as required to reciprocate the bar. The bar is mounted in a strap support 31 secured to the top of the housing i! and permitting the necessary sliding and lateral movement of the bar, as indicated.

At the inner end of the bar Il there is formed anni an integral downward extension 38 near the ilat side 20 of the housing, this extension being broadened and having mounted therein with suitable insulation a contact 39 projected horizontally inward. On the opposite side of the housing below the bar there is secured a bridge plate 40 having an insulated contact 4| therein projected coaxially with the 4contact `39, so that the two abut end`to end when the bar 3| is at or near. the outer linut of its movement, being held yieldingly in such contact by engagement of the end of the slot 32 with the inner bevelled edge of the bill 33. The contact 4| is connected by wire 42 to the battery contact bar 21, and the contact 39 is connected by wire 43 to the bolt electrode 30 of the'lamp receptacle 28.

The cell 25 being grounded to the case I1, at its negative end by the spring 24, and the receptacle 28 being mounted directly on the case, when the bar 3| is moved outwardly, it draws the contact 39 into engagement with the contact 4|, andV so closes the circuit to the lamp. By reason of the spring. 35 drawing the inner bevel of the bar 3| against the end of the slot 32, the switch is held closed until the bar 3| is pressed inward so as to bring the angular tip of the bill 33 inwardly of the end edge of the slot 32, when,by action of the spring 35 drawing the outervbevel of the bill 33 against the end of the slot,` the bar will be moved to its inner limit of movement and so held, with the contacts 39 and 4| separated and i to the inner limit of its movement and sok held.

by action of the spring 35, as described. An insulation stop 44 may be provided on the housing |9 to receive the extension 38 and contact 39 at retracted position.

At the end of the case I1 opposite the battery` 25, a hinged spring-pressed closure 45 is provided, hinged at the upper side of the case, and tending to normally remain closed by its spring, yieldable to manual opening. Within this closure a conical reflector 46 is mounted on the case, containing a lamp receptacle in which a lamp 41 is engaged, with its customary central electrode exposed inwardly of the reector. There it engages and presses rearwardly a spring-loaded contact 48, slidable in a block 49 of insulation material xed in the case.

On top of the case I1 two insulated longitudinally spaced spring contacts 50 and 5| are mounted, the inner one 50 having an outstanding stationary edge 52 inclined slightly toward the end of the case approximately at an angle of 30 degrees to the case,I while the outer contact is extended upwardly from the case and then inclined inwardly longitudinally of the case providing a blade 53 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees so as to lie overand in spaced rela.-

K- close the .switch ordinarily. The housing 54 is kformed with an inclined part 55 closely parallel with the part 53 of the contact 5| when the latter is in open position and also radial to the axis of the closure pivot. An aperture 55 is formed in this sloping side of the housing 54, and on the outer side of the closure 45 a. projection 511s formed so positioned and of such length that when the closure is opened and swung back against-the sloping part of the housing 54, the projection will enter the aperture 56 and press the part 53 of the contact 5| against the contact 50. A wire 58 is connected'between the contact 5| and the spring loaded contact 48, and a wire 59 is connected between the contact 55 and the battery bar 21.

By the last described construction, whether the bag be closed or open it may be grasped so that the thumb of the hand may be engaged 'over the end of the case with vthe closure 45, drawing the latter openv 'and pressing it backwardly' until the projection 51 closes the switch in housing 54 and. energizes the lamp 41.

This provides a convenient `search light icr general uses in the same device with the handbag illuminator. The closure 45 will spring tc closed position as soon as released, opening the circuit tofand protecting the lamp.

While I have disclosed and described a. specic single embodiment of the invention, I do not' regard the invention as limited to these speciiic features, and various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made within the scope of the claim as particularly `set forth hereinafter.

For a person returning home at night, the device will be found particularly useful in illuminating the interior of the bag to disclose the latch key in the bag, and at the same time illuminate the way to the door, and the key-hole of the door to be unlocked, the lamp 29 performing the one service, while the lamp 41 serves the others.

'I claim:

In a device oi' the character described a lamp case of tubular form having a hinged closure at one extremity, an electric lamp in the case adjacent the closure, means to energize the lamp in'- ciuding a switch on the side of the case having a stationary contact and a relatively movable spring-sustained contact located Atoward the said extremity of the case and operatively movable in a direction including principally elements substantially tangent to an arc concentric with the hinge of the closure, a housingon the case enclosing said switch and having an aperture coincident with said element, and a projection on the closure arranged to enter said aperture when the closure is opened fully, to operate the switch.

l GEORGE R.v FUSS.' 

